Jamaican Style Oxtail
For the majority of my life, I have either lived in a Caribbean place or been surrounded by people from the Caribbean, including my niece’s mother whose parents are Jamaican and Trinidadian. My mentor is Trinidadian and so many of my close friends are from various parts of the Caribbean as well. Being surrounded by…
For the majority of my life, I have either lived in a Caribbean place or been surrounded by people from the Caribbean, including my niece’s mother whose parents are Jamaican and Trinidadian. My mentor is Trinidadian and so many of my close friends are from various parts of the Caribbean as well. Being surrounded by this culture and being welcomed and embraced by them has taught me a lot in food. From spices to techniques, I have picked up quite the rolodex of delicious meals and go tos, including this oxtail recipe! I remember the first time I had oxtail from a carryout in New York on one of my visits. It was so tender and juicy with balanced and nuanced flavors, I knew I had to learn to make it or I would go broke.
Over the years, I’ve perfected my recipe and at the request of many of you on social media, I’m finally bringing it to the blog! I decided to release the recipe to day for Father’s Day weekend because it’s also become my Dad’s favorite. In fact, he requested it to be made for Father’s Day this year! My Dad is not a very adventurous eater, but he tried oxtail, reluctantly, and it shot up to one of his favorite dishes. With good reason too! The recipe I’ve developed is full of ingredients that make for a marinade that both breaks down the meat’s protein so that you get a more tender piece after braising and infuses it with flavor. It also requires little to no chopping because it’s all processed in a blender. This not only makes it easier for you, but also allows all of the flavors of the marinade to meld and permeate the meat even more. All in all, this yields a very flavorful, low carb meal that is perfect for a lazy Sunday.
The success of this dish starts at the selection of the meat. Make sure you pick pieces that are fatty enough to braise down without drying out, but not so fatty that you end up with a very greasy braising liquid. This will make it more difficult for your gravy to come together. A good marbling of fat to meat will make for the best, succulent bite. Here are a few more tips to make sure you have the best oxtail ever!
- When marinating your meat, salt the meat before adding the marinade, about 30 mins-1 hour before. This will draw moisture from the surface into the meat for a more juicy product.
- Do not skip browning the meat. Browning produces a chemical reaction which causes meat to taste more savory that you cannot get from simply braising. This is the most hands on part of the entire cook. Just do it!
- If you want more spice to your gravy, add in a split scotch bonnet or habanero pepper during the last 30 mins to an hour. The longer it is in there the more spicy it will be.
Alright ya’ll. Go on and make this oxtail. I’ve gotten the seal of approval from all of my Caribbean friends and their Moms and Grandmas. What I’m saying is, the flavor is legit! Also, before you go, please consider donating to a cause that supports the lives, liberty and justice of ALL Black individuals in this country. You can find some resources here! HAPPY JUNETEENTH!!
Don’t forget to tag me in your photos online @lizeeangel or using #lizeeangel. And as always, comment below and please, like, share and follow me on youtube, instagram, twitter, facebook and pinterest!
Jamaican Style Oxtail
Ingredients:
- 4lb oxtail
- 1 tsp kosher salt/pound meat
- 1 red bell pepper, seeds removed
- 1 green bell pepper, seeds removed
- 3 green onions
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 large white onion
- 1/2 bunch parsley
- 1/2 bunch cilantro
- 1 inch ginger
- 1 scotch bonnet or habanero, seeds & membranes removed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tbsp brown sugar (or Brown Swerve)
- 1 1/2 tbsp curry powder
- 3 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp all spice berries or 1 1/2 ground all spice
- 1 can coconut milk
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 cups beef stock (or veggie or chicken) or water
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup strong coffee
- 1lb fresh fava or lima beans (or 1 can of either, drained and rinsed)
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, add oxtail and season with the kosher salt. Toss to coat and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.
- In a blender, add all of the remaining marinade ingredients and blend until smooth.
- Pour the marinade over the meat and toss thoroughly to combine and tenderize the meat.
- Cover with lid or plastic wrap and place in fridge. Marinate at least 4 hours, up to 24 hours.
- Heat a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat. When pot is hot, add vegetable oil to pan and heat for 1 min.
- Add the oxtail, allowing the marinade to drip off as much as possible. Making sure not to crowd the pan, brown oxtail on all sides. Work in batches if needed.
- As oxtail is browned on all sides, remove to a separate bowl or tray and set aside.
- To the same pot, reduce the heat and add in the remaining marinade in the bowl. Scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan while cooking to grab all of the flavor from browning the meat.
- Cook the marinade for 3 minutes to develop the flavor. Add the Worcestershire and coffee. Cook for another 2 mins.
- Add oxtail back to the pot, create as close to a single layer as possible. Pour in stock/water, adding more if necessary to make sure oxtail are fully covered.
- Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 2.5-3 hours, or until the oxtail is soft, but not pulling away from the bone just yet.
- Add in fava/lima beans and adjust for any seasonings. For a more spice oxtail, add in a burst scotch bonnet/habanero. Cover and simmer an additional 30 mins, or until oxtails are fork tender.
- To thicken gravy, remove oxtail carefully and return to a boil. Reduce liquid by half and return oxtail and serve over rice and peas, rice, mashed potatoes or cauliflower rice.
Calories
733Fat (grams)
44.7Net carbs
8.5
